ILLIG launches third generation RDM-K

ILLIG, a manufacturer of thermoforming machines, has now completed their third Generation of automatic pressure forming machines with the new RDM 75K. These machines are suitable for the production of formed parts for a multitude of applications, with the main emphasis on cups of all shapes and sizes in large quantities.

There is now a fourth size in the RDM-K group, a group already established and well accepted on the market. The RDM 75K features a forming area of 735 mm x 465 mm and idle speeds of up to 42 cycles/minute. Compared to its predecessor, it is possible to constantly achieve increases in cycle speed of at least 30%, subject to material and cup shape sometimes even more. Other innovations with this machine and tooling are uniformity and accurate reproducibility of all cup shapes which, until now, has been unachievable in thermoforming with multi-cavity tools. There is an approximate 10 % weight saving and thus material saving without any loss of cup rigidity.

The stacking device has also been further developed to ensure the safe handling of the increased output from the thermoformer. Even cup shapes which are difficult to stack together are transferred automatically and reliably to the downstream equipment for further processing, e.g. to pack the counted cup stacks into transport units or, for in-line production, to direct filling, sealing and packing operations.

A further influential innovation is the pressure level control of the downholders adjusted to the respective phase in the thermoforming process. In this way bead formation, previously unavoidable, on the upper cup rim is prevented. The material accumulation of approx. 10% of the part weight is now drawn into the side wall during stretching. This allows either the rigidity of the cup to be increased due to this “additional material” or the material thickness to be reduced. Lighter weight cups formed uniformly in every cavity contribute to a considerable increase in quality without loss of stability.